


Running Man

by ladyofreylo



Series: Sackler [4]
Category: Girls (TV), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Adam Sackler - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, HBO Girls - Freeform, Happily Ever After, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Love Story, Oral Sex, POV Rey (Star Wars), Reylo - Freeform, Romance, Sex, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:41:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24312937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofreylo/pseuds/ladyofreylo
Summary: Running Man sprinted by in the early evening that summer when Rey sat on the steps waiting for her class to begin.  She could hear his big feet encased in running shoes hit the pavement before she saw him round the corner and head toward the Institute.  He was tall and lithe, with long arms, and big hands, held loosely near his body when he ran.  His muscular legs pumped hard and fast, but he slowed when he passed the entrance to the Institute.Running Man was not conventionally handsome but something about him compelled Rey to stare.  His damp hair fell in dark waves on his forehead.  He had a long nose and full lips surrounded by a short mustache and goatee.  He nodded at Rey, looking into her face as if searching for something in particular.“You’re pretty,” he said, gasping a little.  It sounded like an accusation.
Relationships: Rey (Star Wars)/Adam Sackler, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Sackler [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1741783
Comments: 31
Kudos: 109
Collections: ReylOlds





	1. Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JGoose13](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JGoose13/gifts).



> Running Man was a long time in the making. I've worked on it since February of 2020. It's finally complete. Thanks to everyone who helped me figure it out: jgoose13 (my beta reader), MTMagni (my sister of smut), and greyforceuser (my finder of repeats).
> 
> I dedicate it to jgoose13 for reading this monster at least three times.

Running Man sprinted by in the early evening that summer when Rey sat on the steps waiting for her class to begin. She regretted taking a full load of summer courses at the Institute, including a night class. It was hard to give up the beautiful early evenings. Rey watched other students leave in anticipation of dinner, conversation, and maybe some relaxing time with friends. She, in contrast, sat on the steps by herself.

Fortunately, the Institute of Performing Arts boasted a lovely tree-lined campus filled with scrollwork benches, lush lawns, and clean modern buildings. Summer evenings were beautiful in the City, as the heat dissipated, and the setting sun left an orange and pink glow behind. The white steps in front of the building were shaded by giant trees and therefore cool to sit on. Footfalls, cars, horns, music, and conversation—the sounds of a thriving City—drifted in but were somehow muted in the warm air. 

Rey never felt bored soaking in the atmosphere, especially now that a jogger ran by at the same time every day.

Running Man, as Rey called him, made the wait between the afternoon and evening class almost worth it. She could hear his big feet encased in running shoes hit the pavement before she saw him round the corner and head toward the Institute. He was tall and lithe, with long arms, and big hands, held loosely near his body when he ran. His muscular legs pumped hard and fast, but he slowed when he passed the entrance to the Institute. He surveyed small groups of people who sat out front, basking in the soft summer light. Rey wondered if he was looking for someone special.

He bounded up the long set of wide, flat stairs to the front door, passing by where Rey always sat, sometimes dodging students walking down. He jumped up and down a few times at the top, then ran down the steps, two or three at a time, almost sideways. He leapt down the last few.

Sometimes he stopped to put his hands on his knees and breathe after all the stairs. One time he turned away to catch his breath, and Rey got a good look of his taut behind outlined in dark blue shorts. 

Another time, he turned toward Rey to tie his lace on the step nearby her self-appointed spot. He looked up and made eye contact. Running Man was not conventionally handsome but something about him compelled Rey to stare. His damp hair fell in dark waves on his forehead. He had a long nose and full lips surrounded by a short mustache and goatee. He nodded at Rey, looking into her face as if searching for something in particular.

“You’re pretty,” he said, gasping a little. It sounded like an accusation. He pursed his lips and wiped his face on the towel around his neck.

Rey looked around to see if he was really talking to her.

He squinted at her. “No one’s behind you,” he said.

“Oh,” Rey replied. “I was just wondering if you were speaking to me.”

“Yes,” he said. “You’re very pretty.” He heaved a breath and stood up.

“Thank you,” Rey said. “Want some water?” She fished in her bag for a bottle. “It’s not cold anymore, but it’s water.”

“Hey, thanks. You shouldn’t drink cold water anyhow. Bad for you.” He reached out a large hand and took the water. He cracked it open, put it to those plush lips, and gulped it down, swallow after swallow. He sighed deeply and snuck a little burp behind his hand. “Pardon,” he said. “Gotta go.” He looked around. “No recycle bin out here?”

“No, it’s inside. I got it.” Rey held out her hand and he gave her the bottle. “Don’t get a cramp from the water,” she said, as he mumbled thanks.

“I won’t.” He waved a large hand and jogged sideways down the steps. “Thanks for the water, doll. I’ll be back tomorrow as usual. You’ve been watching.”

“I….”

“I see you looking, doll.” He grinned and waved again.

“Uh…,” she answered. “Not really.” It was a lie. She knew it. 

He knew it, too. He laughed and jogged off, with a hand in the air.

Shit. Rey didn’t know this guy. How many times had her boyfriend, the ever-cautious Jerry Jeff Finn, told her that the City had all kinds of weird people? She could hear JJ’s voice inside her head telling her to be more careful and not offer water to strangers. Especially a man who jogged the same route daily and thought she was eying him. She mentally kicked herself for watching the daily Running Man show.

***

As a result of her ogling, Rey sat inside the ice-cold music building, where the Senior Seminar for music composition was held. She listened to a recording of her upcoming concert piece for flaws and mistakes. She made notes with fingers so cold they could barely hold the pencil.

After the first evening of freezing in the air-conditioning and not being able to play effectively due to cold hands, Rey decided to find another place to wait for her class. The library was too cold as well. The study carrels were no better. The group of couches in the conversation nooks scattered around were nice and comfy but still a bit too chilly. Rehearsal cubbies had blasts of cold air piped in. Nowhere seemed as good as the front steps where the white concrete was cool, but the air was warm and soft.

Rey felt like enough of a mole from being inside all day. Three days of freezing fingers were plenty. On the fourth day, she went back outside to wait and warm up from the chill of the air conditioning. She made a mental deal with herself that she would simply not look if Running Man came along.

Rey pulled a water bottle out of her bag and tried not to think about Running Man. She dug out an apple for a snack and took a bite. An email popped up and Rey stared at it, not really reading it—instead, she listened for big footfalls. And, indeed, she heard them slapping the pavement. She lifted her gaze, saw her Running Man round the corner, and lope down the sidewalk. He gazed at the few students who were talking in groups or walking out of the practice building. He waved at her as he ran up the steps like a gazelle, two or three at a time, his leg muscles working hard. He jumped a few times at the top, like he always did.

He flew down most of the steps and stood near Rey, still jogging in place. 

“I missed you,” he said, puffing out air. “You didn’t have class this week?”

“I did,” Rey squinted up at him. “I was inside.”

“Why? It’s so nice out here. Get out of the stuffy building and enjoy the air.”

Rey shrugged. “I don’t know. I just stayed inside for a couple of days.”

“Oh,” he said. “Nice to see you. You’re still pretty.”

Rey felt a small bubble of joy arise inside her. He was really sweet. She shoved aside JJ’s dire warnings about strangers and smiled at the man in front of her.

With a serious look on his sweaty face, Running Man leaned down to look directly into Rey’s eyes. He neatly snagged her apple and took a big bite through almost half of the damn thing. It hung out of his mouth as he chewed heartily. He sucked the rest of the apple in without touching it—and then he made ridiculous gnawing and grunting noises.

“Hey.” Rey laughed at him. “That’s my apple.” She should have been angry or freaked out, but for some reason, she wasn’t.

“Oh.” He handed her the small piece that was left. “Sorry ‘bout that. I’m very hungry.” Then he winked at her, just a tiny wink like a little eye spasm. He didn’t know how to wink, but it was charming. She laughed again.

Then he smiled. It lit up his face, and he looked beautiful, more beautiful than any man Rey had ever seen, sweaty or not. That smile took her breath away.

She stared. He gazed back at her, his eyes learning her face.

Rey cleared her throat to break the spell.

“Water?” She held out a bottle.

Running Man sat down next to her. “Thank you.” He swallowed half the water. He indicated the Institute’s building behind them. “Are you a student?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Summer classes?”

She nodded.

“I did that only once and wished I hadn’t. I couldn’t work over the summer,” he said.

“You are a student here, too?” That explained why he kept looking at everyone. Maybe he was trying to see who was around.

“Was. I graduated. But I was in the acting program.”

“I’m in music. I play piano,” Rey said.

“I’m an actor.” He held out his hand. “Adam Sackler.”

“Rey Jackson.” She shook his hand, which more than swallowed hers. “I am taking an ‘Acting for Musicians’ class this term.”

“I’m familiar with that class,” Adam said. “I used to volunteer to help with the scenes Billy makes students perform.”

“Do you still do that?” She wouldn’t mind if Adam dropped in on her class. She wanted to see what he could do onstage, given his long, lean physique and unusual looks.

Footfalls pattered above them. Rey turned to see JJ—the boyfriend—hustling down the steps. She leapt up. Adam stood as well.

“JJ,” Rey said. “What are you doing here?”  
He eyed Adam and then Rey. “Surprised to see me?” He and Adam sized each other up.

“Uh, yeah,” Rey said, flustered. Why did she suddenly feel guilty about talking to a former student?

The men were clearly waiting for an introduction. JJ stuck his hand out first before Rey could even open her mouth. “JJ Finn,” he said. “Who are you?” It was not a polite question.

Adam narrowed his eyes. “Adam Sackler. Who are you?”

“Rey’s boyfriend,” JJ said.

Adam shot Rey a look. “Well, Rey, nice to see you again. JJ, a pleasure to meet you.” Adam sounded like he’d rather hit JJ in the face than meet him. He lifted a hand in farewell and jogged off. “See you soon, Rey.”

JJ turned to Rey. “Who the fuck was that?”

She stuffed the small bite of apple she’d been holding into her mouth. “No one,” she mumbled. “Just some guy who used to be a student here.”

“Stay the fuck away from him. He looks like an asshole.” JJ grabbed Rey’s arm and pulling her toward the building. “Isn’t it time for your class?”

Rey yanked herself free. “I can walk by myself, thanks. Why don’t you go home?”

“I’m walking you to class before I leave.” JJ slid his hand down Rey’s arm to twine his fingers with hers. She thought about pulling free again but decided against it.

He walked her to the classroom and leaned in for a kiss. Rey let him kiss her briefly.

“Come over later,” JJ whispered. “We can… you know.” He wiggled his brows at Rey in a meaningful way.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Was he twelve years old? “Can’t,” she said. “It’s that time.”

He nodded at her sagely. “All right. Let me know when you’re done with it.”

He kissed her again, but she ducked. Then felt bad and kissed him.


	2. Jerry Jeff Finn: The Boyfriend

It wasn’t that JJ was a horrible boyfriend or a bad person, Rey told herself. It was just that sometimes he could be arrogant and maybe a bit cutting to those around him. She noticed that he enjoyed finding fault with just about everything—restaurants, movies, music, clothes, and other people. At first, Rey enjoyed listening to the pointed critiques because JJ was sharp-witted and funny. At parties, he and his friends would sit in a corner and judge everyone around them, calling out those who were drunk and those who seemed desperate. They joked and laughed at other people’s bad luck, foibles, and sheer stupidity. JJ let it be known that he was a superior musician and critical reviewer of life. Many times, he and a select few would hit the bar after classes and pick apart instructors’ methods and styles and other students’ performances. 

When Rey started dating JJ, she discussed her new relationship with her friends, Nikki and Ari, one evening over a bottle of wine. Rey had just come home from a date and found Nikki talking to Ari in the student apartment hallway. They wanted to hear more about her new love interest, so Nikki busted out a bottle and some mugs and settled in for some girl chat. 

Ari popped microwave popcorn and set a bowl in front of the three of them. They settled in, with Rey looking starry-eyed about her new boyfriend.

“I like him a lot,” Rey said. “He’s so witty and sharp.” 

She told her friends that JJ could be brutally honest and that she loved that about him. There was no pretense or fakery. He told everyone, including professors, what he thought. In fact, she said he had her best interests at heart when he pointed out her flaws.

Nikki gave Rey a look of utter disbelief. She had met JJ a while back in a class but didn’t like him very much, and she was quite vocal about it.

“He’s brutal, all right,” Nikki said.

“Way to be supportive, Niks.” Ari kicked Nikki under the table. Nikki threw a kernel of corn at her.

“No,” Rey countered. “It’s for the best. He tells me the truth. When my piano playing is sloppy, he lets me know. Or when I’m talking too much about a movie we just watched, he tells me not to ruin the experience for him. He doesn’t like it when I pick things apart. I appreciate it.”

“Isn’t that too critical?” Nikki ignored Ari’s wide-eyed look. “He doesn’t sound very nice.”

“Look, he does it to everyone. He’s always pointing out how somebody dresses or acts in class.” She rushed on. “I am sloppy sometimes in practice and I do tend to rattle on when I get excited. He tells me when I’m being disorganized or too narrowminded. I think it’s important for couples to be honest with one another.” Rey paused to look at her friends’ skeptical faces. 

Nikki asked, “And what do you tell him?”

Rey blinked. “About what?”

“About what he’s doing that needs some work. He’s too pigheaded or micromanaging? Those flaws come to my mind,” Nikki said.

Rey pressed her lips into a line. “That’s not fair, Niks. He’s trying to help me be a better person.”

“If that’s the case, then he needs your help in fixing his flaws, too,” Nikki argued.

“I don’t know, Rey,” Ari said gently. “I’ve met guys like that who want to make their girlfriends a project. They are never satisfied. Just be careful, huh?”

“But he’s very supportive of my composing, so I guess I can live with other stuff.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?” Nikki pressed. “I mean, I just want to live my life without someone’s commentary. What gives him the right to tell you how to play your compositions?”

Rey hesitated. She enjoyed talking to JJ so much because he knew a lot about music, and she found their conversations fascinating. He also cared about music composition, which was not true for other men she’d dated. Composing music was her great love. She discovered that JJ didn’t compose any works himself, which meant they didn’t have to be in competition. That was nice for her. When she asked him about his interest in writing music, he hugged her tightly, kissed her lips like she had praised him to the skies. He’d laughed lightly and said didn’t have a knack for it, but he loved listening to her pieces. He told her he would help her achieve her dream of being a composer.

She had said as much to Nikki that night. Ari finally told Niks to back the fuck off and let Rey have her moment of sunshine. Which she did. Until now.

Lately, JJ had started talking about Rey and how she failed to live up to his—and, he regretfully told her, other people’s—expectations. She was blind-sided by this information as she considered herself a nice, friendly person who did the best she could. There had been no complaints heretofore with her performance as friend, student, or lover.

JJ’s attitude had certainly changed in the months they had been together. His demeanor slowly morphed from loving engagement to impatience. His funny snark and humorous insights into others’ foibles turned into biting criticism and nasty comments—usually directed at Rey. JJ’s nitpicking critiques of everything Rey did or said or composed then devolved into outright name-calling.

***

“Don’t you dare come over here,” Rey yelled into her phone. She hung up on JJ. “Goddammit.”

She plopped her butt down on the concrete steps and put her phone up against her forehead, hoping to will away the conversation that just took place. She breathed in and out slowly. She would not pitch her phone down the steps. She would not. She wanted to do it so badly, to strike out at JJ when he acted like a shit. Every single time he turned into a condescending prick, he made Rey crazy. She swore she would dump his nasty, mean, nit-picky ass.

She growled out loud and raised her hand to throw the phone. She stopped when she saw Adam’s concerned face as he ran up the steps.

“What’re you doing, kid?” He tried to catch her hand with his. “Don’t throw your….”

Too late. The phone winged down the steps and landed at the bottom. Rey put her head in her hands. She heard Adam charging down the stairs. He ran back up with the broken phone.

He turned it around in his hands, checking it out, while Rey rubbed her forehead.

Adam sat down next to her. “Unfortunately, doll, I think it’s broken. Why the fuck did you do that?”

Rey turned to face Adam. “Motherfucker called my piece stupid.”

Adam searched her eyes. “What piece, doll? And who? A professor?”

“No,” Rey groaned. “No, JJ called my composition stupid. It’s the music I wrote this term as my senior project. I’m supposed to play it in a couple of days. He’s getting inside my head, making me doubt myself. Fuck him.”

Adam’s eyes grew wide. “Fuck him. Yeah, fuck him. What is his problem? He doesn’t support you?”

“Yeah, he does,” Rey said. “Really, he does…”

“No, it doesn’t sound like it. What the hell?” Adam put his arm around Rey for a second. He dropped it. “Sorry, I’m sweaty as fuck.”

Rey leaned into him anyway. He wrapped his arm around her again and pulled her close to him. “Don’t care,” she mumbled.

Adam held her tight. “Want me to beat him up?”

“Yeah,” Rey said. She pulled out of Adam’s arms. “No, what am I saying? Of course not.”

“I’d beat him up for you, doll. Kick his fucking ass.” Adam clenched his fist and slammed it against his hand. “This guy seems like an asshole to me.”

“He said the same about you,” Rey countered.

Adam stared at her for a moment, pressing his full lips together. “Yeah, maybe, but I didn’t call your music stupid. I’ve never said shit like that to anyone.”

Tears gathered in Rey’s eyes. “Fuck,” she said.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey…” Adam said. “I’d make it go away… if I could, but I can’t, so I guess, that I won’t.”

Rey laughed a little at his silliness. He grinned at her and poked her with his elbow.

“I could steal you away from that jackass of a boyfriend.” Adam furrowed his brow and leaned in toward Rey. “Is he any good?” he whispered, looking into Rey’s eyes.

She dropped her gaze. “Um. Good?”

Adam touched her arm. Rey looked up again and held Adam’s serious stare. “In bed. Is he good at fucking you? Does he make you come?”

Rey opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She shut it again.

Adam raised his brows. He dipped his head. “Yeah, so does he?”

“Welllll…” Rey said. “I…”

Adam shook his head slowly. “Hey, doll, if you can’t answer that, then he’s not doing his job. You’re a beautiful woman. You can have any guy you want. Don’t sell yourself short and fuck some jerk who doesn’t know where your clit is or what the hell to do with it. And don’t let him call your music stupid or he’ll have to answer to me.”

“Okay,” Rey said. “I guess I won’t…” She trailed off.

Adam’s attention was clearly elsewhere—he gazed off into the distance. Then he jumped up quickly. “Shit,” he said.

A dark-haired woman in a print dress and heels stalked up to the bottom of the steps. She stood with hands on hips, glaring up at Adam.

“Weren’t you going to meet me at The Brown Jug, Adam?” she called.

Adam turned to Rey with a sheepish smile. “Gotta go. Hope you’re okay, doll.” He thundered down the steps, two at a time. “Sorry, Nat, sorry.”

“What the fuck? You’re not even dressed for dinner. Yuck, don’t touch me.” She turned on her heel and walked off. Adam stood in the middle of the sidewalk, having leaned in for a kiss. He caught up with her and started talking. The woman turned to look at Rey and said something unintelligible, but her tone was distinctly unpleasant.

***

Later that evening after Rey got home from class, Nikki, inspected the shattered phone while they sat together in Rey’s kitchen.

“Done for, absolutely.” Nikki tossed the phone lightly into the air and caught it. “JJ the Ass called your music stupid? God, what a dick. You need to dump him yesterday.”

“That’s what Adam thinks, too.” The words were out of Rey’s mouth before she thought about them.

“Who the fuck is Adam?” Nikki suddenly looked interested. “Is he a better guy than JJ? God, please say yes.”

“He’s Running Man,” Rey said. “And unavailable.”

“Ah, the mysterious Running Man has a name. He stops to talk to you now?”

Rey shrugged. “I give him water.”

Nikki jumped up and performed a little happy dance. “Boys don’t do that unless they want something. You ought to know that by now. He digs you.” She swirled around and bowed dramatically.

“I shouldn’t be talking to strange men running by the school.”

“Yeah, probably not. Lots of crazies out there,” Nikki replied evenly, sitting at the table again.

“It should be all right. He’s got a girlfriend, and he met JJ. I feel safe now that Adam knows I have a boyfriend.”

“Asshole,” Nikki said under her breath.

“Excuse me?” Rey said.

“Some boyfriend. Rey, my love, why aren’t you more pissed off that he called your piece stupid?”

Rey looked at Nikki like she was from Mars. “I am incredibly pissed. I threw my phone.”

“Yeah, that’s right, do something mean and shitty to yourself. You broke YOUR phone, not his. And you didn’t even throw it _at_ JJ.”

Rey shrugged. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Uh, yell at him. Break it off with him if he doesn’t respect your work. Go fuck this Adam guy for revenge, then rub it in JJ’s face. Is he cute?”

“Who, JJ?”

“Aw hells, no, he’s… such a shitty, arrogant…”

“Don’t beat around the bush, there, Niks,” Rey interrupted. “Give it to me straight.”

“Is Adam cute?” Nikki asked through gritted teeth. She muttered and rolled her eyes at Rey’s willful ignorance.

Rey thought of Adam’s big warm smile that reached his whiskey brown eyes, his nose that was a shade too big, and ears that peeked out from his shaggy dark hair. He was cute, in an interesting way. More interesting than JJ’s traditional square-jawed look.

“Yeah,” she said. It came out as a soft whisper.

Nikki’s eyebrows shot up. “Lord, girl, you got it bad. You’re going to have to fuck him and get it out of your system. JJ who? This Adam needs to be your new man, honey.”

Rey pressed her lips into a line. “No, JJ owes me a phone. And an apology. I think he feels bad.”

Nikki hooted at her. “I doubt he feels anything at all. I’m not sure he even sees you, honey. You sure he doesn’t have somebody on the side?”

Rey was shocked at the thought. “No, he doesn’t. He’s busy. Way busier than I am, Nikki. He’s got a Greene Fellowship and that keeps him extra involved in practices and concerts.”

“That’s what they all say,” Nikki said. “My advice? Dump JJ. Fuck Adam. Your eyes light up every time you mention him.”

“I’m not going to sleep with Adam. He’s dating someone.”

“He might dump her and go out with you, honey.”

Rey contemplated that for a minute. “Nikki, he’s probably one of those playboy types anyway. I can’t deal with them, always staring at women, whistling, drooling. At least JJ doesn’t look at other women.”

Nikki got up and started pacing. “JJ doesn’t look at you, either. He doesn’t seem to care much about anything or anyone. This Adam guy is showing some interest in you. That counts for something.”

“Yeah, but he… well, he hugged me—then his girlfriend showed up, saying he had missed a dinner date with her.”

“My guess is he doesn’t want to be with this person he’s dating. He wants you. And I know you don’t want JJ. You want Adam.”

“I have a headache,” Rey said.

“And his name is JJ. Get rid of him. He isn’t good for you, calling your music stupid, making you feel bad. Even if you don’t want to go out with Adam, drop JJ on his head. Don’t mess around with an asshole.”

Rey picked up her broken phone and turned it around in her hands. “How do I know who is and isn’t an asshole? All men are potential assholes. It’s so fucking complicated.”

Nikki hugged Rey from behind. “I know it is. In the end, you gotta trust your gut. And always remember, Nikki’s proverb states, ‘Break his Face, Not your Phone.’”


	3. Adam Sackler

The next afternoon, Rey saw Adam Sackler at the Verizon store near the Institute. She was looking for a new phone—with JJ who had insisted upon accompanying her as an apology. He claimed he was sorry and would help her purchase a new phone immediately. Rey was right—he did feel terrible about calling her piece stupid. Or so he said, cheerfully, as he accompanied her to the store. He said he might look for a new phone, too.

Adam was shopping as well, though rather reluctantly, it seemed. Rey saw Adam wander slowly into the store with the same pretty dark-haired woman she’d seen him with yesterday. She looked annoyed. She was trying to show Adam the features of a new Apple phone.

“Look, this is what you need, Adam.” She held out her phone to show him. He looked at the phone but didn’t touch it. He didn’t seem very interested. The woman touched Adam’s arm. “Siri is better, honey, more conversant, more natural, you know. Like a realistic person.” She held her phone up to her mouth. “Siri, where’s the best dance club around here?”

Siri answered. “The highest rated option is The Jullie. It is frequented by students at the Institute of Performing Arts.”

“Oh, yeah,” Adam said, suddenly interested. “It is. That place is fucking lit.”

A young male sales associate who had been talking to JJ strolled over. “May I help you?” he asked Adam.

“Hand me the phone,” Adam said to his girlfriend. He snagged it out of her hand. He said to the salesperson, “I want one of these. But only if it can swear. Hey, where’s your dick?” He waited.

“Oh shit, Adam,” his girlfriend said. “Give me the phone. That’s so stupid.” She reached for her phone.

He held it away from her, laughing. “Oh, I forgot to say it,” he said. “Siri, what’s in your cunt?”

“I do not know the answer,” Siri said.

“Well, that’s fucked up,” Adam said. “Siri, that’s fucked up.”

Siri bleeped and said nothing.

“It’s the number 100 in Welsh,” the young man offered with a smile. “Ask Siri to say it.”

“Whaaat?” Adam replied. “Siri, say 100 in Welsh.”

Siri said, “The number 100 in Welsh is cunt.” Clear as day.

The sales associate held his own phone up to his mouth. “Siri, what’s 100, 100, 100 in Welsh?”

“100, 100, 100 in Welsh is Cunt. Cunt. Cunt.”

The two men laughed out loud. 

JJ snorted. “Children.” He shook his head. 

He looked at Rey for confirmation of his assessment. She covered her little smile—grown men trying to make Siri say ridiculous shit and giggling about it. They were clearly enjoying themselves.

The dark-haired woman looked embarrassed. “Really, Adam? Are you going to be that way?”

Adam stared at her. “What way?”

She put her hands on her hips and opened her palm to get her phone back. Adam dropped it in her hand with a sigh. It rang and she answered, stepping aside to look out the store window.

JJ walked forward and interrupted the sales associate. He stepped directly in front of Adam without acknowledging his existence.

Adam raised his brows at JJ’s back. He glanced around the store and saw Rey standing nearby. He walked over to her and said “hi” softly, just a movement of his lips. She said it back in a whisper.

He smiled at her. She returned it, and her heart beat a little faster. 

The dark-haired woman was digging in her purse, cursing under her breath. Rey raised her eyebrows at Adam. He shrugged.

Adam darted a look at JJ, who was still engaged with the sales guy. He moved even closer to Rey. “Hey, hi, how are you?” He spoke softly, a baritone rumble. Rey loved his voice, so different from JJ’s tenor tones.

“Good,” she said.

“Didn’t dump him yet?” he asked.

“Nope. He owes me a phone.”

Adam looked amused. “Maybe he can look up where to find your…”

JJ walked up. He looked Adam up and down. “It’s you again,” he sneered.

“Yeah, it’s me again,” Adam said. 

Rey could swear she felt testosterone surging between the two men as they sized each other up. JJ had an unusual curl to his lip. Adam’s face was blank, but his eyes held a challenge. JJ moved closer to Rey as if to claim her, while Adam leaned in toward Rey’s face. She was afraid the man was going to kiss her lips in front of JJ, but he aimed for her cheek instead. His mustache tickled her as he brushed his lips against her skin. She throbbed everywhere, her body responding wantonly to Adam’s presence.

“Nice to see you again, doll,” he whispered near her ear.

“Hey,” JJ said in the background. “Hey. What are you doing?”

Adam straightened up. “Don’t ever call her stupid again,” he growled at JJ, who spluttered, “What the fuck?”

Adam tossed one disgusted look over his shoulder as waved goodbye to the clerk. He walked out, slamming the door behind him, with his girlfriend scrambling to catch up.

Adam = 1, JJ = 0.

JJ huffed. “What the hell was that? That asshole needs to keep his fat lips off you. Tell him to get lost, Rey.”

Rey watched the woman standing outside, yelling at Adam. She couldn’t hear what they were saying to each other, but Adam raised his long arms up and got in his girlfriend’s face to snarl at her. Then he stomped out of sight.

“Do you want to beat Adam up?” Rey asked, suddenly. Out of sheer curiosity, she wanted to see what he would say.

He gave her a disgusted look. “And ruin my hands? Not likely.”

“Why don’t you tell him to keep his lips off me?”

“What the hell are you talking about? Just stay away from him.”

***

On Monday, Rey hid herself away inside a tiny rehearsal cubby in a hallway off the main corridor. She needed to focus on a final exam piece for her Senior Seminar. She had already chosen the one she would play at the recital, the same one JJ called “stupid.” The memory of his words stung, but she knew the composition was solid. She’d received numerous comments from her professor and other composition students, which weighed more heavily than a bullshit statement from some guy.

Rey stood up from the piano bench to stretch. She realized that she thought of JJ as a person not qualified to critique her work. She used to think he had her best interests at heart with his comments. Now she wasn’t so sure. The piece she’d composed was her best work to date and he had failed to recognize it.

She returned to the bench and began to work on her final exam piece. Pencil in hand, Rey lost herself in its intricate melodies, harmonies, and themes.

A sudden knock on the door popped Rey out of her trance. The handle jiggled. Rey got up to see who it was. Adam Sackler stood at the door, in lightweight sweatpants and a tank top, arms covered with a sheen of sweat.

“Hey,” he said. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Rey was surprised to see him. “Come in.” She opened the door to the rehearsal cubby and allowed him to walk in. The room was tiny, and Adam filled the space with his large body. He looked like he didn’t know what to do with himself. He leaned against the door after she closed it.

“I looked for you,” he said. “Out there.”

“I have to be in here,” Rey said. “I have to work on another piece of music.”

“Oh.” He drummed his fingers against the door behind him.

Rey stood watching him.

He barked a quick laugh. “I was thinking of you.”

Rey raised her eyebrows.

“A lot,” he said. “Because…” He stopped.

“Because?” Rey asked.

“Yeah, Natalia. The girl I’m with. She fucking called me stupid today. Earlier. I noticed she does it a lot.”

Rey sat down on the piano bench. Adam waved his hand at her and she scooted over. He plopped himself down, too, taking up most of the bench.

“Fucking sweaty again. Every time I see you,” he muttered more to himself than to Rey. He picked up his towel and wiped his face and shoulders with it. “What a fucking loser.”

Rey bumped his shoulder with hers. “It’s all right. I don’t care. Tell me what happened.”

He shook his head. “It’s so…” He gave an inarticulate growl. “So…”

“Stupid?” Rey supplied.

“Yeah. I was working on a small project, an indie film, you know.” He checked Rey’s face to see if she knew what that was. She nodded.

“Well, it was shitty, a shitty production. The guy who was making it was disorganized and didn’t know what he wanted from us actors. We would wait around in costume and makeup for a long time only to be told to go home. I hated the part I was playing and the story….”

He paused, lost in thought.

“I fucking walked. She’s right. It _was_ stupid. I’m not going to get paid, and, worse, I might get a reputation for being hard to work with. I’m in no position to pick and choose roles right now. I have to fucking work.”

Rey touched Adam’s arm. “I get it. It must have felt like a waste of time for you.”

“Yeah, fuck, it did. But I shouldn’t have walked out. Natalia called me stupid. Shit, I call myself stupid.”

“But did she really need to rub it in? Especially if you are already kicking yourself? And, anyway, maybe it wasn’t stupid. Maybe it was a waste of time and the producer and director will take your walk-out as a sign that they need to get their shit together.”

Adam looked skeptical. “Maybe. Maybe not. Those dickheads don’t seem that self-aware.”

“Are you a good actor?” Rey asked.

Adam huffed a short laugh. “Fuck if I know.” He put an arm around Rey and gave her a quick hug. He pulled his arm back. “Are you are good composer?”

She shrugged. “Fuck if I know. But I would walk out if I got involved in a bullshit project. I’m worth more than that. You’re not being unreasonable when you ask them to get their shit together.”

Adam sat with that idea. “That’s what I think, too. But Natalia bitched at me about it until I told her shut the hell up.”

“Is she mad?” Rey asked.

Adam rolled his eyes. “She’s always fucking mad about something. She tries to change me all the damn time. I’m sick of it.”

“I hear that,” Rey said. “Me, too.”

“That asshole do the same to you?”

“Yes, he does.”

“Drop him.” Adam turned to look at her.

“Drop her,” Rey countered, meeting his eyes. 

Adam smiled at Rey—a full-on smile that led to a rich, deep laugh. Rey smiled back.

She studied his warm eyes, his brows, down the length of his nose to his full, plushy lips. Adam watched her look at him—he saw her eyes dip down to his lips. He tilted his head in towards Rey and pressed his mouth against hers. She didn’t have the will to stop him—she wanted his kiss so badly. She wanted him, she realized, more than she had guessed. He touched her face and thumbed the edge of her mouth. He deepened the kiss, teasing Rey’s lips open. His tongue slowly, languidly explored the sweetness of her mouth. He slid his tongue against hers, pushing in and out as if he were thrusting into her body. He growled softly and pulled his lips away.

“Adam,” Rey whispered. “You shouldn’t.”

Adam pressed tiny kisses against the corners of her lips, his mustache tickling her face.

“I know.” He continued to nuzzle her. “Tell me to stop and I will. But I want you to know that I would be yours, doll. Just say the word.”

With that, Adam Sackler stood, opened the door to the rehearsal room, and walked out. At the doorway, he blew Rey a kiss and winked at her.

Rey tried to return to her work, but Adam’s words stuck with her through the rest of her practice time. She felt the lure of a new romance and knew it would be delicious to pursue. But it was end of term. She couldn’t afford to get lost in Adam Sackler, his cute winks, and soft kisses, until she got her exam finished and her last few classes completed.

She held onto the knowledge that this large, sexy Running Man wanted her, and it was enough for the moment.


	4. The Play Fight

The Acting for Musicians class was Rey’s least favorite class. She was glad she had taken it, along with Senior Seminar, in the summer. The accelerated course would pass quickly. Students played acting games and performed exercises, followed by improv scenes that were basically meaningless. The instructor, Billy, touted it as a class that helped with movement and grace on stage. It was designed to be for those who might pursue musical theatre or who wanted to increase their performance abilities. Rey had taken acting and dance throughout high school and had two years of college-level performing arts classes before attending the Institute. She had shucked it all when she decided to compose music for a living. She figured her time at the Institute was better spent honing those skills than worrying about performances.

JJ was in the class, too. Rey hadn’t minded because they could spend time together and she had a built-in partner for the exercises and activities. That is, until he’d called her music stupid and started acting weird about Adam. These days Rey didn’t even want to look at her so-called boyfriend, much less be his partner.

It wouldn’t matter today, though, when the seasoned actors attended class. Billy told his students that they would partner up with professionals to learn different techniques, including mask work, stage fighting, and other random shit that they would probably never need. Worse, JJ and Rey had to split up for the day and work with other people. JJ was not looking forward to it and he bitched about it non-stop.

The day of the workshop, a group of ten actors walked into the Institute’s small black box stage, chit-chatting and laughing. They all seemed to know each other. And, in fact, Rey knew one of them, too. Her breath caught in her throat as Adam Sackler strolled in, wearing cut-off sweatpants and a tank top. His hair was fluffy instead of damp with sweat. His beard and mustache were dry, and he looked divine.

Adam spotted Rey across the room and grinned at her. She was ready for action that day, wearing beige linen capris and a white tank top. She flexed her muscles and posed for him, smiling. He closed the distance between them.

“Hey, hey, hi. How are you? You look so damn pretty.” He bent down to kiss her cheek. 

“Welcome to our class, Adam Sackler,” Rey replied softly, resisting the urge to slip her arms around his neck and pull him back down for more kisses.

“Thank you so much. I’m here to be the teacher you need so badly. So, so badly.” His voice dropped into a lower register on the last words. Rey felt a shiver go down her spine.

She almost forgot her boyfriend stood nearby. He glared at Adam.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” JJ asked.

“Teaching you shits how to be onstage,” Adam drawled.

JJ seemed to have no answer for that statement, so turned his attention to his girlfriend. “And what are you doing?” he hissed at Rey.

“Saying hi,” she replied, sarcastically.

Adam gave JJ a little wave. “Yep, it’s me again.” He smiled showing all his teeth.

“Keep your lips off Rey,” JJ gritted.

Rey stared at him. He was finally showing some real signs of giving a shit about her.

“Sure thing,” Adam said. He took Rey’s hand in his, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. His eyes never left JJ’s.

“Adam.” Rey admonished and pulled her hand out of his grip.

Billy called them all to attention to put everyone in pairs. Adam snagged Rey’s hand again and showed Billy that they were together. Billy nodded in assent. 

JJ stood nearby, seething. A tall blonde woman called his name and bounded up to him. “Hi, JJ,” she said. He muttered “hi” but barely looked at her. His attention was fully locked on Rey and Adam.

Billy cleared his throat. “Now that we all have partners, it’s time to learn stage fighting. It will help you with grace and balance.”

Rey groaned. Adam tugged her toward him for a little hug. “Aw, it’s fine, Rey. This is the fun stuff. Let’s fight.”

“Rey,” JJ called. Rey turned to look at him. He seemed to want to say something, but nothing came out.

“Have fun.” Rey shrugged at him. What could she do? They couldn’t work together anyway.

Adam retrieved two long staffs made of wood that were leaning up in the prop area off to the side.

“We need room,” he shouted. “Going to the scene shop.”

Adam didn’t wait for Billy’s approval. He nudged Rey in the direction of the shop behind the main stage and off to the left of the black box stage. It was a large, deserted open space with abandoned backdrops leaning up against the back wall. The floor was smooth wood, paint-stained, but soft. On one end sat storage shelves with various art supplies used to create scenery. On the other end, a work bench stood and with a vast array of tools and saws set up nearby.

“Plenty of room here, doll. I used to practice scenes in here all time. Let’s do this.” Adam handed Rey a staff.

He showed her how to hold the instrument and take a fighting stance against him. She learned how to thrust and parry in an intricate dance between them. Like any good performer, Rey was committed to practicing repeatedly. Adam stood opposite her and held his staff up, ready to fight. He counted down and came at her. She clashed with him, feeling strong and powerful. She whirled and parried each of his hard thrusts and pushes. Adam knew exactly where his body was in space, just like a dancer. He wasted no movement or energy but hit each mark with solid confidence. In turn, Rey felt confident in her own pattern of movement as she matched him, step for step, jab for jab, and slash for slash. 

Eventually, they both tired and started pulling punches, unable to wield their staffs. They gasped for breath.

Adam called time out and hugged Rey. “You’re a natural, kid. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you. I have a little dance training, so I’m used to that kind of movement.” Rey paused. “You look like a dancer, too. Do you have training?”

“No,” he said. “I’m a part-time carpenter. Well, and I run. You know. I don’t know if that counts.”

Neither did Rey, but it explained his strength.

“Let’s see those dancer muscles.” He walked around Rey’s body. 

Rey flexed for him. He squeezed the muscles of her arms and legs. He ran his big hands up and down her arms.

“Wow,” he said. “You are strong.”

He showed Rey his arm muscles. He was toned and hard, and she would bet he had a six-pack.

“Like it?” he asked and laughed when Rey nodded. “I like yours, too.” He tried to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away.

“No kissing,” she said. “You already snuck one in today.”

“Not fair,” he said, stalking her. Rey stepped back a pace or two. He followed gracefully gliding closer. “That one didn’t count.”

“Why not?” Rey asked, with a tiny giggle, moving away further.

Adam twirled around and slid toward her with his arms raised. “No tongue.”

“You are reprehensible,” Rey said.

“Come here, doll, and I will show you how reprehensible I can be.” He made a grab for her. She whirled away.

“Ha,” she said.

“Ha,” he said.

Adam crowded Rey against the main work bench near the big free-standing band saw. She tried slipping under his long arms, but he wrapped her up and bent down to capture her lips. She didn’t resist him.

He kissed her ravenously, like he was starving, and her lips were his favorite food. He murmured little noises while he kissed, open-mouthed, darting his tongue in to tease her, then pulling out again. Rey kissed him back, being completely unable to stop the onslaught of desire that raced through her. If he pushed her down to the floor, she would have let him fuck her then and there.

“Drop the asshole,” Adam murmured against her lips. “Be mine.” Rey could only moan in response.

Then Adam tilted his head to find a deeper angle for his kisses. He and Rey danced and parried tongues until a cleared throat made him lift his head. Rey buried her face in his shoulder.

“What?” he barked, turning around halfway to see who was interrupting his kisses.

Billy said, “If you two can pry yourselves apart, it’s time to see how you did.” He rolled his eyes at Adam. “Though it’s rather clear how you did, Sackler. Just like you always do. Lord have mercy, how can such a funny-looking guy get so many damn women?” He shook his head. Then he spoke to Rey. “Jackson, if you can pull your tongue out of Sackler’s mouth long enough to grace us with your presence, I will grade your performance.”

“Fucker,” Adam said, under his breath.

“Why did he say that?”

Adam walked over to the staffs.

“Say what?”

Rey just looked at him. “About you and women.”

“Oh, you mean how a weird-looking guy like me can get women?”

“Yeah.”

He shrugged and picked up the staff. “If I like a woman, I tell her. I don’t put up a front, which is useless and full of shit. If I want to fuck you, I say it. And I say I’m good in bed because I am. Women overlook the fact that I’m a creep to find out just how good.”

Rey digested that tirade. “You’re not a creep, Adam.”

He laughed out loud. “Yeah, I am. I am a creepy, weird-looking fucker. I want to do things to you in bed that you haven’t even thought of yet. Kid, I’d be so good to you. Be with me.” He reached out to stroke Rey’s cheek gently with one long finger. She touched his hand and he pulled her close again to nuzzle her neck.

Rey heard Billy calling again in an annoyed voice.

Adam growled. “For shit’s sake, fuck that guy. I hated him when I was here, too. Let’s get this shit over with.” 

Adam gathered up the staffs, and he and Rey went back to the black box to wait their turn. He sat down next to her and held her hand tightly in his, casting glances at Billy, who threw dark looks back at Adam. Which were the same looks JJ shot at both Adam and Rey. Rey surreptitiously tried to pull her hand out of Adam’s grip. He narrowed his eyes at her and tucked her hand up against him. She had the feeling he would growl—or bark—at her if she tried to get free. She had to press her lips together to stop a slightly hysterical giggle that bubbled forth.

Billy called Gwen and JJ to center stage. Gwen towered over her partner and he was clearly outmatched. She was kind to JJ, but he bobbed and weaved timidly like he was afraid to get hit. Gwen smiled and encouraged him as much as possible, even going so far as to speak to him. Billy stopped the fight and told Gwen that she wasn’t allowed to talk to her partner. Mercifully, the routine ended soon thereafter.

When Rey and Adam performed the fight scene for the class, no one moved. There wasn’t a sound except for the wooden staffs clacking together and their combined breathing. The pair knew how to work together naturally—even without speech, they just knew what to do with each other. They finished with one final crisscross of staffs and bowed together, even though it wasn’t planned. The room was silent. Rey caught her breath. She was afraid for a second that she had failed. Then her classmates, the other actors, and Billy erupted in applause and cheers.

After class, Adam placed his huge hands on Rey’s shoulders and looked her in the eye.

“Rey, that was great. Just great.” He gave her a big hug and kissed her cheeks repeatedly. “I would be your scene partner any time, doll. Hit me up if you need somebody. And, also, you know what you should do? Drop that guy. I am right here in front of you. I will be yours.”

Rey stared at Adam’s serious, intense gaze. “I….” It was all she could manage. She gulped hard. She didn’t want him to leave. She wanted to pull him back into her arms and kiss him all over again.

She watched Adam bound out the door, his incredible energy propelling him on to whatever lay ahead for him. He seemed committed to embracing it all.

JJ stood nearby with a sour look on his face.

“Bye, JJ,” Gwen said. “Keep practicing. Let me know if you want a partner. I’ll help you some more.” She gave him a cheerful, if bone crushing, hug. He looked pained. 

She also said goodbye to Rey with a huge smile. “Great job with Adam. He’s the best there is. He’s also a great person. No doubt about it.”

***

JJ was livid walking out of class with Rey. Although she appreciated his newfound interest in preserving their relationship, she didn’t wish to listen to his diatribe about Adam. She had been too busy thinking about Adam’s lips on hers to care. She would like to blame him for kissing her, but, in all honesty, she had been ready to claw his clothes off.

“And he’s known to have a temper,” JJ continued. “Gwen said he was a big asshole when he was in school. He made people cry. He was aggressive and mean.”

“Fine,” Rey snapped. “I’m not doing anything to encourage him. He’s just all over me.” That was not at all true, but she was sick of listening to the lecture.

JJ stopped in the hallway near the rehearsal cubbies. “Tell him to fuck off.”

Rey stared at him and said nothing.

“Just tell him, Rey. And if he doesn’t leave you alone, call the cops. He’s a fucking weirdo.” JJ started walking again without waiting for her.

Assuming she would follow.

“JJ,” she called after him. “We have to talk.”

He used his ID to open the door to the cubby. “All right, but I seriously need to rehearse. Don’t you have another class?”

Rey checked her phone. “Yeah, but I need some answers.”

JJ held the door open and then let it snap shut behind them. “Talk,” he said.

“Are you attracted to me? Do you love me? Do you even want to be together?” Rey stepped forward to throw her arms around this person who said he was her boyfriend.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” JJ pushed Rey away from him. “What?”

“I asked first.” Rey put her hands on her hips.

“Yes, then…” he said. “To all the questions.”

“I don’t think so,” Rey said. “Why are you with me?”

JJ looked agape. “Because we belong together. We have so much in common. We’re musicians and we love music and we have classes together. And it makes so much sense to be together. You write music and I play piano. We can go far together in our careers.”

“That’s not enough, JJ. I want to break up.”

JJ blew out a breath and ran his hand across his head. “No, no, you don’t. Gwen means nothing to me. Adam means nothing to you. He’s a jerk, believe me. She told me everything about him. I think he may have slept with her, too.”

“ _Gwen_? What about Gwen? I thought you just met her.”

“I met her earlier. You remember. At the Jullie, when we all went out for drinks the other evening.”

“I was in class,” Rey muttered.

“Right,” JJ said. “Well, I met her then. And she agreed to be my partner in the exercise. No big deal.”

“Fine,” Rey replied. “It’s good you got a partner you like. Also, I didn’t sleep with Adam, for your information.”

“I know. You’re not that type anyway. I just don’t like him bellying up to you, but I get why you like the attention from him. He’s charming, I guess, in a sleazy kind of way, and I’ve been busy. I’ll do better.” JJ came forward and kissed Rey’s forehead. “Go to class now, and I will call you later. Let’s not break up, okay? I need you in my life.” He nudged her out the door. “I have to practice now.”


	5. I Would Be Yours

It rained all day. Rey couldn’t sit outside without getting soaked, so she curled up on a couch with her raincoat and tried to keep her fingers warm. The music classes would be performing a concert run-through tonight in the auditorium.

Rey stared at her new phone, idly looking through Twitter. She was restless. Nothing was going well. She had tried once again to be all right with JJ, to find whatever had attracted her in the beginning, to ease the ache between her legs that Adam had put there. Rey wanted a good fuck when she got to JJ’s place after classes were finished. She wanted someone drinking her in and pushing her hard. She wanted to know what Adam would do to her that she hadn’t thought of yet.

JJ started on his nightly piano drills after dinner. Rey tried rubbing herself against him, but he batted her away. “It’s not time yet, Rey. I still have work to do.”

Rey left in a huff—secretly relieved that he hadn’t been interested. JJ called her later to see if he could stop by, but she told him no. She couldn’t imagine sleeping with him after being kissed so thoroughly by Adam Sackler. Her fantasy version of Adam, naked, with his big hands roaming her body, his soft lips kissing her, had helped her take care of her needs. She told JJ yet again she was not interested in continuing a relationship with him. He hooted at her and told her to stop being silly. He told her to get some sleep and that he would see her the next day. 

Rey called JJ in the morning and reiterated her stance. He had refused to believe her. He said she was being stupid. 

That word again.

She contemplated her stupidity in the cold building with rain pounding the windows and snuggled deeper into her plastic raincoat, which wasn’t particularly warm. A movement caught her eye. Adam Sackler in a hoodie with rain-damp hair came sloshing toward her.

“I’m wet,” he said. “But I’m here.”

Rey raised her eyebrows. “Hi, Adam.”

He sat next to her and pulled off his shoes. “Damn, these are so fucking wet. What the fuck is going on in here? It’s freezing. Was it this cold the other day?”

“It’s always cold in this building,” Rey said. “Why are you here, Adam?”

He reached for her and she took his hand. “I felt like seeing you. As usual, I fucked up with Natalia, you know, because…I do that. But I’m not that bothered by it. I needed to get away from her.”

Rey scooted closer to Adam, who put an arm around her. “Fuck, your hands are cold.” He took both her hands and held them to his body. “Oh, and also, yeah. I want to see your concert. I wasn’t sure if it was tonight or tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Rey said. “Tell me what happened, Adam. I have news, too.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “You first. Did you dump him?”

“I tried,” Rey said. “But he won’t be dumped. He keeps acting like we’re still together.”

“Huh,” Adam said. “He’s an asshole but he doesn’t look that dumb. I heard he was all the fuck over Gwen one night after he got drunk. He’ll get the message if I have to shove my fist in his fucking face.”

“Well, shit, Gwen can have him. Don’t do anything rash, Adam,” Rey said. “It’s all right.”

Adam shook his head. “Not if he won’t leave you alone.”

Rey didn’t know how to answer that. She pressed her lips together. It caught Adam’s attention.

“Oh, lips. Mine for kissing now,” he leaned in for a kiss. Rey tilted her lips up to meet his. It was a sweet and gentle kiss.

“Natalia and I broke up, too,” Adam said. “I fucked it up, but I’m not sorry. She didn’t like me very much anyway.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Rey said, without any conviction at all.

Adam shot Rey a guilty look. “Yeah, but I was an asshole,” he said. “I don’t know why. She just pissed me off one too many times, I guess.”

“What did you do?”

“I told her to crawl to my bedroom on her knees. She got madder than hell and walked out. I just don’t care. I didn’t want to fuck her anyway.”

Rey gazed at Adam’s strong profile until he looked at her. He touched her face gently. “I would never do that to you, though, doll. You’re my sweetheart.”

“Adam,” Rey said, lightly. “Please don’t be mean to me—or I will take a staff and beat you senseless. Same for cheating on me.”

Adam stared at Rey for a second, then he fell backwards laughing. “I will never piss you off, doll. I don’t doubt you would kill me.”

“Believe it. I am serious. You have a reputation here at the Institute for being an asshole. I don’t know if you are mean to your girlfriends, but don’t ever do it to me. I swear I will kill you myself.”

Adam clasped his hands together. He stood up and put his hands on his hips. “I may be many things, Rey. I have done some shit I’m not proud of, absolutely. But, but… Okay, look, one guy and I clashed. He thought he could say shit about me being an older student. I had been a carpenter for a while until I went back to school. This asshat picked on me for being what he called an imposter until I fucking lost it. I took him down. I wasn’t the bully in that situation—he was.”

“Oh no,” Rey said.

“Want to know who it was?” Adam asked.

Rey stared at him. “Billy.”

“Yep.”

“Fuck,” she said.

“We’re okay now, for the most part,” Adam said. “For the record, I am not a cheater.” He paused. “I make it clear…” He paused again and rubbed his beard.

Rey watched him silently.

“Not fucking with you, Sackler,” she said, softly. “If you want whatever this is between us… if you really like me and want to move forward, no fooling around. No kissing—cheek, lip, or ass. No flirty shit with other women. I will find out and I will toss you and your phone down the steps of this building.”

He stroked his beard again. “And then beat me senseless with a stick.”

“I’m not joking,” Rey said. “You had better be serious with me. Or else I’m out.”

Adam knelt in front of Rey. “May I be damned straight to hell if I hurt you. I promise you on my acting career, word of fucking honor, I will not cheat on you or lie or be an asshole to you. I will be a good partner. I want to deserve you, doll. You are the best. Know that you never have to worry about me.

He took her hands and kissed each one.

Rey watched his eyes. Was he acting, telling her what she wanted to hear, or was he serious? 

She had no idea. She would have to take a risk if she wanted to find out. And she really did want to find out, finals and classes be damned.

Rey threw herself into Adam’s arms and they tumbled down together beside the coffee table, kissing.

Adam pulled Rey up on the couch and looked around to see if anyone was watching. “Holy shit, doll, you’re going to ravage me in public?”

Rey giggled and tucked herself into Adam’s still-damp shirt. “Not the first time we’ve made out in a public space.”

“Probably not the last, either.”

***

Rey fixed her hair in the ladies’ room mirror and looked at her reddened lips, sparkling eyes, and blushing cheeks. She’d been kissing someone—it was obvious. Her neck showed evidence of a few of Adam’s more enthusiastic nips. She left the bathroom to find him waiting for her. They walked to the recital hall hand-in-hand. He kissed Rey and headed for the seats, while she went back backstage to get her music ready.

She ran right into JJ, who looked her up and down, but said nothing.

“We’re broken up,” Rey swept by him to wait for rehearsal to begin.

When the time came to play her music, Rey walked out onstage like a queen, planted her bottom on the bench, and tore the piano up with her vivid composition. Her music began bright and airy, like the summer’s days she spent with friends, exploring, laughing, and talking, enjoying a bustling city life. It melted into warmer, richer tones of evenings on dark porches with stars prickling skies overhead and then mellowed into the sound of soft breezes blowing curtains in a lover’s bedroom. She enjoyed playing the piece all the more, knowing Adam Sackler was in the audience, listening for the first time.

***

After the rehearsal, after seeing Rey run down the stage steps, and lifting her into his arms for dazzling kisses, Adam took Rey to his tiny apartment. They ran through the rain, laughing, and tumbled into his carpenter’s lair, with strange half-completed wooden structures and sawdust, tools and play scripts lying around. The place smelled of fresh pine and cut lumber. Adam locked the door and picked Rey up in his arms. He carried her to his bedroom and dropped her on the bed. She kicked off her shoes and patted the spot beside her. Adam lunged with a roar and systematically stripped himself and her of clothing. Rey helped him, laughing with pure joy.

Rey softly asked Adam to show her how he would do things she had never experienced before. He glanced up at her and gazed into her eyes. He slid to the floor. 

“Open your legs, doll,” he said. “I need to taste you so badly.”

“I’m not used to this,” she said, softly. “I’ve never…”

Adam put a long finger on her lips. He replaced the finger with a sweet kiss. “You better get used to it. I’m going to do it every single day until you are used to it. Lie back, doll, and open your legs for me. Let me eat you out.”

Rey gazed into Adam’s eyes. She had expected him to cover her with his body and push his way into her wet cunt first thing. She hoped she would find some satisfaction with his body touching her. But this was unexpected.

He nodded his encouragement. “I’m going to make you come.”

She drew a long, shuddering breath and complied, slowly, opening her legs a little to her lover’s gaze.

Adam pressed his hands on the inside of Rey’s thighs and opened her further. She put her arm across her eyes to cover her embarrassment at being splayed out for him. She heard him rumble in his chest, a sound of need and desire.

“Your cunt is beautiful,” he muttered.

Rey felt the tip of Adam’s finger slide through the wet folds, gathering her dew and tracing the outline of her pussy. He gently touched her clit, drawing a strangled noise from her throat. He circled it gently before moving down to her lips and sliding the finger inside her.

Rey cried out. She moved her arm and looked at Adam. He met her eyes and slipped another finger inside, slowly stretching her out. Rey’s face flushed as he watched her reaction to his thrusting fingers. She writhed on the bed, searching for something more from him.

“Please.” The word escaped her lips, though she didn’t know exactly what she was asking for.

Adam pulled his fingers out of Rey’s dripping cunt. He put her legs over his shoulders and pushed his face between them to taste her. At the first moment of contact, Rey forgot everything but the feel of his tongue. Slowly, he ate her out until she could no longer think or breathe. Her clit throbbed as he twirled his tongue around it. She came long and deep, sobbing her lover’s name, digging her fingers in his hair. Adam held her in position and would not stop drinking her.

Rey tried to wiggle away. “I can’t…” she gasped.

“Can’t what, doll?” he asked. “Come again? I bet you can. Stay still.”

He held her and continued to smear his face in her. Adam didn’t stop until he had wrung every ounce of pleasure out of Rey’s sweet body with his lips and tongue.

Rey lay, boneless, satisfied. 

Adam crawled up to lie at the head of the bed. “Hey, hey, pretty Rey, come and find me up here.”

She scooted up to be next to him. She kissed him and tasted herself on his lips.

“You made me come.” She looked into his whiskey brown eyes.

He smiled. “Told you I could. Every day, doll. We’re doing it every damn day. You taste so fucking good.”

Rey laughed. “If you say so. I’m not one to argue.” She ran her hands across his muscular chest. “Can I do something for you, my sweet man?” Her fingers drifted down his chest to his hard belly and further down still.

Adam took a deep breath as Rey’s fingers threaded through the dark hair between his legs.

“Will you suck me?” he asked softly.

Rey nodded slowly.

His hard dick looked huge, thick and veiny, gorgeous. Rey wanted to taste him so badly and show him how much she cared for him. She adored how he treated her like she was beautiful and worthy, even as she crawled for him. He reached for her while she sucked his cock into her mouth. She would please him with everything she had. She swirled her tongue around the velvet head and saw his beautiful face. He moaned long and low and dug his hands in her hair, showing her how he liked it.

Rey wanted to make Adam come like that, but he pulled out of her mouth.

“No,” he said. “Let me be inside you. Let me fuck you.” He rose to retrieve a condom and put it on. 

“Yes,” Rey opened her arms to welcome him. He crawled on top of her and slipped his dick up and down her wet lips. She growled and tried to grab his hand. She needed him inside her. He nuzzled her neck.

“Say it, doll. Say you want me,” he whispered, still rubbing her slit.

“I want you, Adam, I do. Do it now.” Rey dug her nails into his arms. She pushed her hips up and the head of his dick slipped inside her just a bit.

They both groaned at the sensation. Adam thrust himself into her softness, so very deep. Rey gasped and wrapped her legs around him, pulling him as close as she could get. They moved against one another, meeting and retreating, until Adam cried out, lips in Rey’s hair.

They lay together happily wrung out, sleepy, sated.

“I am all yours,” Adam said.

Rey covered his face with kisses. “And I am yours.”


	6. The Real Fight

Rey rehearsed all day—she wanted her performance to be perfect. By the time she headed home to start dressing, she had smoothed out a rough spot or two and knew her music cold. Now she could relax during the performance and enjoy the recital. Adam would be there again. She hugged that knowledge to herself. They had made love twice more, satisfying each other deeply and fully. Rey never felt more connected to another person.

Nikki was hunting through Rey’s closet when she got home. 

“I’m sorry I ever gave you keys,” Rey called, closing the unlocked door behind her.

“Well, you did,” Nikki hollered from other room.

“I have to wear black or black and white, Niks.” Rey checked the mail and grabbed a water to drink from the refrigerator.

“Yes, I know,” Nikki carried out a few selections to plop on the couch. “But which one? Something sexy.”

“It’s a recital, not a strip tease,” Rey looked at the dresses. She envisioned herself stripping for Adam later, though. Maybe she should find something sexier than this lot.

Nikki said, “Nothing here. Ariana…”

“No Ari. Absolutely not. Her stuff is too revealing for a concert,” Rey said to Nikki’s disappearing back. She was down the hall and knocking on Ari’s door before Rey got the words out.

Ari let her in, and Rey followed.

“Black dress, sexy,” Nikki said. “Something that fits well.”

Ari and Rey were the same size, but her taste was vastly different than Rey’s. Rey tended to like high necks, long sleeves and floor-length gowns. Nikki called them granny gowns.

Ari came out of her room with a black and white gown, pure white plain bodice, with one structured strip of material over the shoulder, sweetheart neckline, and slinky black body-con skirt. It was simple and elegant.

The two shoved Rey down the hall and into the shower. Before she knew it, Rey was strapped into the gown, matching lacy underwear, taped up boobs, and silk thigh highs. Ari found Rey some kitten heels in black velvet. 

“Makeup,” Nikki said. 

Usually, Rey didn’t wear anything. “Really?” she said.

Nikki dug around in her makeup bag and handed Rey a new tube of blackest black mascara. “It’s not even been used yet, girlie. Go for it.”

Rey got the works. Nikki and Ari were darker than she, so they lightened up the foundation with some white mixer. 

“Not too much, Niks,” Ari said. “Don’t cover all her freckles. They are adorable.”

Nikki nodded and sponged away at Rey’s face. She lightly powdered Rey up and surveyed her work. “Yep,” she said.

Ari found some soft pink blush and hit Rey’s cheeks with it. 

Then Nikki came at her with a brilliant tube of liquid lipstick. “Redrum,” she said. “Best red ever. Won’t budge or smudge. Completely kiss-proof.”

“No, no lipstick,” Rey said.

“Shut up and sit still.”

Nikki carefully painted the dark, dramatic red on Rey’s lips.

Rey surveyed the work in the mirror. She looked completely different with huge eyes, long black lashes, and sexy red lips.

“You can thank us anytime,” Nikki said, smiling at Rey’s reaction.

“Thank you so much,” Rey hugged each friend in turn. “I am speechless. I’ve never looked like this before.”

“You’ve never been willing before,” Nikki said. 

She started on Rey’s hair, pulling out the usual three buns and brushing it out from crown to ends. The buns had given Rey’s straight brown hair some wave.

“Your new man will like this look,” Nikki said.

“Say what?” Ari handed Nikki some hair spray, which Rey never bothered to use. “New man?”

“Woo-yeah, Rey-Rey’s got her a man. He runs by the school entrance every day with his sweaty self and makes fuck-me eyes.”

Ari laughed. “Well, congratulations, Rey. Well-deserved. You get rid of limp noodle yet?”

“I tried,” Rey said. “He won’t listen. He’s playing in the concert tonight. I will have to talk to him again, but seriously, he doesn’t believe me.”

Ari rolled her eyes. “JJ doesn’t give a fuck about you. I swear, he doesn’t. But Running Man sounds like he does. Is he coming tonight?”

“Rey spent the night with her new honey,” Nikki said.

“You’re not supposed to tell anyone,” Rey squeaked.

“Ah, lighten up. Just Ari,” Nikki said. “She loves you. She’s excited that you fucked this guy.”

Ari looked at Rey with interest. “Did you finally wake up and smell the sexy man? Yum.”

Rey blushed, remembering all the dirty things Adam had done to her last night. She was hoping for a repeat performance tonight. “Okay, girls, I’m done. I need to get to the hall and warm up. Bye, bitches.”

“Bye, love you, you red-lipped whore. We will be there later to cheer you on.”

Rey heard them talking as she grabbed her bag and started to walk out. She smiled to herself. She was glad she hadn’t told them anything else about her sexy man.

She was falling in love so damn hard.

***

When Rey got to the hall, it was already buzzing. Naturally, JJ found Rey immediately upon arrival. He strode up to her, slipping slightly in his dress shoes. 

“Damn.” He looked at his feet.

“Be careful,” Rey said. “You don’t want to fall onstage.” She hid her smile, thinking of Gwen’s sad attempt to make him look graceful.

He looked her up and down, ignoring her comment. “What’s with the get-up?”

“Get-up?”

He indicated her dress. “That’s kind of low cut, isn’t it? Why are you dressed like that?”

“You don’t have to like it, JJ. We’re not together anymore.”

“You never dress like that.”

She shrugged, unwilling to tell JJ anything.

“Who is he?” JJ asked. “It’s that fucker Sackler, isn’t it?”

“Pardon me?” Rey frowned.

“Who are you trying to impress?”

“Fuck you, JJ,” Rey said. “This is Nikki’s idea. She decided she was tired of me looking like a granny.”

“What do you care? You’ve never cared before.”

Rey stared at JJ. He was right—maybe she hadn’t cared before. But she did now. “Maybe I want something more,” Rey hissed, trying not to shout at him. “Maybe I want to be appreciated as a woman. You never did, that’s for sure.”

He blinked at Rey. “I don’t appreciate you as a woman? Well, that’s rich. You never try. You don’t care enough to make yourself attractive. You walk around with your hair in those weird little buns, no makeup, wearing tank tops and those ugly capris. My fucking mother wears that shit.”

Rey pointed a finger at him. “Well, that’s too bad for you. Someone likes me with my capris and buns. He called me beautiful.”

“Ha,” JJ said. “Sackler. He’s fucking crazy, trying to get Siri to say stupid, juvenile words. And he’s delusional about you. You are, at best, moderately attractive. You might be more if you took care of yourself, but you don’t. And you never dressed up for me. I don’t think you even considered that I might like you in a sexy dress.”

“Fuck off, JJ.”

“Feel free to do the same, Rey.”

Rey turned on her kitten heels and stalked away. She shouldn’t have to change her wardrobe, her face, her hair to meet some idiot’s standard of beauty. Adam thought she was beautiful. In fact, ordinarily, she didn’t give two shits about her looks. She was trying to be a good person, a solid professional musician, and nothing more. But somewhere deep down, Rey liked what Adam said about her. She liked how he looked at her. And he’d seen her after a long day of classes, when she was nothing. She looked like nothing. She was absolutely no one but her own freckled self—no makeup, no hairspray, no fancy clothes. He thought she was pretty then, and he thought she was beautiful when he crossed staffs with her. She wondered what he would think of her dressed up with red lips and wavy hair. She was damn well going to find out.

Rey glided on stage when it was her turn to perform. She took a deep breath and played her piece for Adam, to remind him of summer days when he had lifted her up and made her feel like his queen. Rey played her rich and beautiful composition better than ever before because it was laced with true love.

***

When the concert was complete, Rey bounded down the steps to find Adam. She looked around, but he wasn’t in the group of people milling around the auditorium. She hadn’t seen him before the show, either. She found Ari and Nikki, whose congratulations died on their lips when Rey ran past them. 

“Looking for Adam,” she called behind her.

Rey jogged out of the recital hall, down the hallway to the reception room. She heard yelling from down the hallway. Sure enough, Adam and JJ were outside the reception room shouting at each other. Rey picked up her skirts and ran. Ari and Nikki skidded behind her in their high heels.

Adam was taller and skinnier but more determined than JJ. He towered over JJ, who looked like he was going to burst out of his white shirt and tasteful tie at any moment.

Rey ran toward them, but Ari grabbed her. “Let them work it out. Is that your man? He’s tall.”

The building’s security guard came roaring around the corner talking into his radio.

Adam tore JJ’s phone out of his hands, dropped it on the floor, and stamped on it, crushing it under his foot. He ground his heel into the phone.

“You fucking asshole,” Adam yelled and kicked the phone at JJ.

“Him. Get him,” JJ hollered as Adam took a swing. JJ took Adam’s fist on the side of his head and went down.

Adam held his hand, swearing in pain. “Fuck this guy,” he shouted. 

Rey ran up to Adam to examine his hand. They locked eyes. “Adam,” Rey said in exasperation. “What the hell are you doing?”

“You didn’t hear it,” Adam said. “You didn’t hear what he said.”

The security guard helped JJ up.

“Adam is with me,” Rey said to the guard, who was trying to figure out what happened.

“Fuck you, Rey, fuck you,” JJ shouted, straining against the security guard’s arm.

“Leave her the hell alone,” Adam yelled back, stepping forward.

The security guard told JJ to calm down and turned to Adam. “Young man, are you a student?”

“I used to be. I graduated,” Adam said.

“This tall asshole is after her, she’s my girlfriend,” JJ yelled. “He’s been stalking her.”

The guard looked at Rey. “Is this true?”

“No,” Rey said. “That is not correct.”

“I want to press charges,” JJ said, through gritted teeth. “Arrest him for assault.”

The security guard looked weary. “Son, that’s a whole lot of hassle. Let it go.”

Fists still clenched, Adam growled, “Rey’s the one who needs to press charges. You had better tell her what you said, motherfucker. Tell her what you did.”

Rey looked between the two of them. “What?”

JJ straightened his shirt. “Nothing.”

Adam took a step toward the other man. The guard moved in between them again. “Now, gentlemen. Let’s not have a repeat of….”

“If you don’t tell her, I will.” Adam interrupted. He pointed at JJ. “Tell her.”

JJ put his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “Now, look…”

Tired of waiting, Adam said, “Rey, sweetheart, that fucker stole your music. He was talking on the phone to someone. I heard him say that the piece you played was his. He recorded it and was sending it off under his own damn name. I saw him screenshot the program and state directly that it was his work. And that he would have more to send later. He’s stealing your music, Rey. I hope you have it copyrighted.”

Rey’s knees buckled in shock. She opened her mouth and shut it again. Adam looked into her wide eyes. She gasped. “No.”

“I’m sorry,” Adam said. He tried to hug her.

Rey’s rage leapt up suddenly. She pushed Adam away with both fists beating against his chest. She heard him say, “Oh, shit.”

She stepped quickly up to JJ, drew back her hand, and smacked him hard across his face.

The guard yelled at her and raised his arms. “Stop, everyone. Get out, get out of the building. Now. Before I call the police.”

“Gladly,” Rey said. She glared at JJ. “Fuck you. I will be filing a restraining order and a lawsuit tomorrow. Have a nice fucking day, asshole.”

Adam, Ari, and Nikki started cheering. Rey flipped them all the bird and started walking.

“I have your stuff, in case you were wondering” Nikki called to Rey.

Rey breathed hard as she stomped off toward the exit. Adam jogged up next to her. “Well done, baby!” He gave her a thumbs up.

“Shut up,” Rey said.

“Okay,” Adam replied. “I love you. Don’t kill me.”

Nikki and Ari clicked along briskly behind them. Adam dropped back a little. “Hi,” Nikki said, breathlessly, catching up to Adam. “We’re Rey’s friends. You must be her new boyfriend. We like you already, honey. How much do you know about music?”

“Not one fucking thing,” Adam said.

“Probably for the best,” Ari noted.

***

Adam watched Rey stalk up and down his living room, fuming about JJ’s treachery. She was still wearing her fancy dress and heels. She was white hot angry and hissed at any attempt to calm her down.

After watching Rey seethe for a while, Adam finally said in the loudest voice he could muster, “Take off the fucking dress, Rey.”

Rey stopped pacing. “Why? I’m too mad to fuck you right now, Adam.”

“Not fuck,” Adam rose from the couch. “Fight.”

He opened a tiny closet in the kitchen and pulled out a mop and a broom.

Rey stared at him.

“Which one do you want?” he asked. “And take off the dress. You can’t move in it.”

Rey started stripping. She struggled with the zipper on the dress but bared her teeth at Adam when he came over to help her. He backed away slowly. She finally shrugged the dress off and tossed it aside. She slipped off the shoes and thigh-highs.

“Want to take it all off?” Adam asked with a slight smile.

“You really are playing with fire, aren’t you?” Rey glared at him.

“I love fire. Come and burn me, doll. I can take it,” he said.

Rey stripped down to nothing and snatched the broom handle from Adam. He pulled his hand back like he might get burned.

Then he yanked off his clothes as fast as he could and picked up the mop. “Watch the man meat, kid, or we’ll be in trouble.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Fine, no below the belt.”

“Yeah, or you can kiss little Sackler babies goodbye.” Adam grinned at her.

“Sackler babies? Look, are you going to jabber or fight me?”

“Both,” Adam took a swing at Rey. He tapped her lightly on her bare bottom with the mop handle. “Watch your flank.”

Rey growled and came at Adam. She hadn’t had much practice at stage fighting but she was in a lethal mood. She pushed herself hard, she yelled and growled, she came at Adam repeatedly with the broom handle. He parried her thrusts and grunted as she tested his ability to stop her. Rey tried not to hit anything in Adam’s apartment, but he shouted at her to break whatever she wanted to. He used his mop handle to knock over a wooden structure that stood against the wall.

“Let go,” he shouted. “I don’t care.”

He and Rey beat the shit out of every piece of wood in that apartment until Rey broke the broom handle.

She stopped and stared at her handiwork. Gently, Adam took the broken broom from Rey’s hands and threw it in the trash. Sweaty and exhausted, she fell on the couch and burst into tears. Adam scooped her up and held her, rocking her gently while she cried. He carried her to the bedroom and snuggled her up next to him.

He made love to her then, wresting different cries from her lips as he connected himself to her as deeply as possible, trying to absorb her pain.

Afterwards, Rey touched his face. “I love you, too,” she said.

“It’s about time you said that,” he groused. “I said it like one hundred fucking years ago.”

“I was too angry.” Rey smiled.

“I know,” Adam said. “Good thing I already knew you loved me.”

“When did you figure that out?”

He laughed. “When I drank your water, stole your apple, kissed your lips, cornered you, and told you repeatedly that I am yours. Because I am. You looked at me like I was… I don’t know.”

“The most beautiful man in the world.”

“Your man,” he corrected. “You’re the beautiful one.

“Mine,” she agreed. “And you’re beautiful to me.”


	7. Epilogue

The next summer, Adam called to Rey, “Lace those babies up, doll. We have to be at rehearsal at 7. Let’s get a good workout in.”

Rey hurried to get her shoes tied and take her evening run with Adam. They ran by the Institute frequently, even though Rey had graduated. The coolness of the steps called. They drank water and remembered their meeting place.

That summer, Adam was directing his own play while Rey wrote and arranged the music. It was looking like a hit from where she stood in the orchestra pit. She was so proud of her Running Man.

Adam and Rey ran together and hit the stairs. After sprinting to the top, they rested and gulped their water. Adam whooshed out a breath and sat.

“No sitting.” Rey still jogged in place.

Adam squinted up at her. “Sit the fuck down, crazy lady. I have to talk to you.”

Rey was too curious to argue, so she sat.

“This is the day,” he said. “You know that? One year ago today, I told you that I thought you were pretty.”

Rey leaned against her sweaty guy. He kissed her lightly.

“I’m sure I fell in love with you immediately, sitting here looking like you owned the place. And this wild thought ran through my head and I have not been able to stop it. It just keeps on running and running. Every damn day.”

“What’s that?” Rey asked. She was used to Adam’s random and weird thoughts.

He gazed at her, his brown eyes serious. “I thought to myself. That woman there. That pretty, pretty doll. She’s mine. She’s mine forever. She’s going to be my wife.”

“Is that right?” Rey’s bubble of joy rose higher inside her. It first arose when she met this tall Running Man.

“Yep, so…” Adam drew a small ring box out of his shorts pocket. “Rey Jackson, will you marry me?”

Rey threw her arms around him, her Running Man, and almost knocked him backwards on the steps. “Yes,” she shouted. “Yes, yes, yes.”

She grabbed the ring box, opened it, slipped the pretty diamond ring on her finger, and said, “But you have to catch me first, Adam Sackler.” Rey sprinted down the steps, leaving her future husband sitting there, mouth agape.

“Goddammit,” Adam shouted. “Wait for me.” And off he ran after his future wife.


End file.
